Chapter 21
Evey moaned as she twisted in the spacious bed. Her body didn't feel the effects of the extra chill of the Shadow Gallery from the wintery temperatures above ground as it was covered in sweat. Grabbing V's abandoned pillow she squeezed it to her chest unknowingly before rolling to the opposite side. Horrific images filled her mind causing her to whimper and cry before she shot up eyes wild with uncertainty if it was simply a dream or reality. Waking up alone startled her until she could hear the sounds of life and the aroma of mouth watering food. Evey gave a grunt before pulling the covers back and padding her way into V's bathroom to freshen up.
Quietly she approached the voices of V and Slick. V's back was turned to the boy as he cooked a late breakfast. Slick was sitting at the small kitchen table drawing while Agatha relaxed in a leather chair that Evey recognized from the library. The girl looked tired however she still appeared ten times better than the state Evey found her in. She was using the chair for most of her support as she rested her head against the back. Slick's eyes would shift to his sister often reassuring himself that she was alright and safe. Although the conversation he made with V could be considered short it was more than she expected him to give so soon.
"Good morning" Evey said making her presence known knowing that Slick would not appreciate being spied upon.
Walking up to V she placed a hand over his gloveless ones before placing a peck on his masked cheek.
"Good morning Evelyn" V said with a slight nod while his eyes followed her curvy form before the faint whiff of burning eggs forced him to turn his attentions back to the stove.
"Morning Slick. What's that?" Evey asked pouring herself a glass of orange juice.
"Just a picture" He shrugged nonchalantly continuing to color.
Taking a few steps closer Evey sipped her juice and watched him.
"You're really good. You're going to be quite the artist when you grow up" Evey said casually however silently she was awed by the boys talent at such a young age, however she knew better than to make too much of a fuss and therefore turned her attention to Agatha.
"And how are you this morning young lady" Evey said with a warm smile taking a seat near the young girl.
Agatha's eyes shifted to her and there was a slight tug at one corner of her mouth for a brief second.
"That's great. You look better"
At that moment V strolled over carrying a plate filled with food in one hand, a bowl of oatmeal in the other while another plate resting in the bend of his arm with slightly less food piled upon it. Evey and Slick received plates while V placed the bowl in front of Agatha knowing the girl would need assistance. Evey placed her own fork down and scooped a spoonful of oatmeal placing it near the girls mouth. Agatha did not open her mouth too wide but Evey made note to scoop smaller amounts. Slick watched the two but Evey only insisted he finish his food. After breakfast V carried Agatha into the living room to watch cartoons with her brother while he and Evey cleaned up. Evey handed V the last pan to dry and put away. Resting her hip against the edge of the counter she watched V with a smirk. He hummed and wiped the pot down. Pushing his wig back just enough to view his scarred skin she placed a delicate kiss. V gave a deep sigh from the pressure of the soft lips.
"I love you" Evey whispered.
In a blur V's arm shot out and wrapped around her pulling them chest to chest.
"I love you too...my Evey"
A few hours later Evelyn received a call about a situation at the station and had to leave. Agatha rested on the couch and soon fell asleep but Slick was getting antsy from all the idle time. V silently watched for a while wrecking his brain on what to say or how to act. He was unfamiliar with entertaining young children in his home and without Evey he found himself at a loss. Perhaps the television and books would entertain them long enough for him to get some training in. V silently walked towards the training room and though Slick pretended not to notice he followed the darkly dressed man until he disappeared behind an arch way. Curiosity finally got the best of Slick and he gave one final glance to Agatha to make sure she was sound asleep then followed V. The clanging of metal could be heard further down the hall coming from a door less room.
"En Guarde!" V's voice called out pointing one of his deadly knives at a faceless dummy's neck.
Slick's brows furrowed but he watched quietly from the shadows.
"You are a skilled opponent sir" V jested switching his knife to the other hand with ease stalking around the dummy before striking out again.
Slick took a step forward walking further into the room making V spin around in surprise. Slick stood there staring at V making the man want to shift uncomfortably.
"How'd you do that?" Slick questioned out loud.
"May I ask specifically what you are inquiring about?"
Slick gave a confused look but kind of pieced together what the man was asking.
"How'd you do the thing" Slick asked again moving his hands in a similar way V had.
"Would you like to learn?"
Slick nodded and walked up to the man. V handed the boy a knife watching him scrupulously preparing to step in to prevent him from harming himself. V's mask tilted in surprise that the boy seemed comfortable with the weapon.
"A bit too heavy for me liking but it'll do" Slick said.
V smiled behind his mask as he showed Slick the proper stance.
Evey wasn't particularly over joyed about coming into work plus the day was already off to a crummy start with her forgetting her badge although she could have sworn she placed it in her purse like she always did. So that meant that the routine five minute security check took close to an hour. All she could do was hope that things could be solved rather quickly so she could go back home. Stepping off of the elevator and scrolling through a few emails on her phone left her too distracted to see an arm reaching for her. When the arm wrapped around her she stiffened until the scent of a very familiar cologne burned her nose.
"I almost broke your ribs" Evelyn smirked continuing to stare at her phone while Gordon accompanied her with an arm wrapped around her waist.
"We need to work on your greetings" Gordon teased.
Evelyn threw her phone back in her purse and gave Gordon a bright smile.
"Ello Gordy dear" She said laying her English accent on thick.
Shaking his head with a low chuckle he filled her in on all the disasters that awaited her for the day. Evelyn rolled her eyes at the incompetence that surrounded her and leaned into Gordon's embrace as she sighed.
"Come on let's get some coffee" Evelyn suggested.
"Shouldn't you handle this first?"
"They've already screwed everything up. How much worse can it get?"
Evelyn would later regret those words but on the bright side she had a huge mug of coffee to keep her from punching people in the face. She would be so glad when she left this job for good. Hours later she was left with an empty mug and no Gordy to infuse laughter and sarcasm into her day making it seem bareable. Letting her head fall into her hands she answered the knock on the door. A delivery man needed her signature on some boxes and was told to see her. Evelyn scribbled her signature not bothering to read the form. Picking up a box she realized they were delivered to the wrong department.
"Great" She muttered tossing the box unceremoniously on the cart once again.
Gripping the handle on the cart she pushed it towards the larger elevator used for deliveries and pressed the number that would take her a few floors below.
"Hi Henry. How are you today?" Evelyn asked smiling at the overweight security guard who sat at a desk staring at screens all day. "Got a delivery here"
"What is it?" He asked.
"Don't know. It was delivered to my department by mistake" She answered signing the log he held in front of her.
She waved and pushed the cart down the hallway towards a door with a sign that read Ladies Dressing room. Evelyn knocked and a frazzled older woman answered the door questioning her with a gaze.
"Delivery. Where do you want it?"
"Just put it over there I guess" The woman said crossly.
"Someone should tell Sutler this isn't his personal playground" The woman declared ripping the tape that held the flaps together with a pair of scissors, reached in, and pulled out a Guy Fawkes mask.
"What the hell is this?"
Evelyn's blood ran cold as her eyes tunnled on the mask in the woman's hand watching as she tossed it back into the box thoughtlessly. Reaching into the box Evelyn snagged a mask and quickly tucked it into her purse before turning and leaving the room quickly. Henry gave a friendly goodbye but Evelyn didn't hear as she rushed to the elevator trying not to look too suspicious but as soon as her finger pressed the button the metal box began ringing signalling something was wrong. Henry stood to find the problem but Evelyn spun towards the doors leading to the nearest staircase taking them two at a time. She only trudged past the door one floor up when the alarms sounded.
"Fuck. V" Evelyn cried quietly bolting full speed until she reached her floor pushing past a few frantic employees on her way.
Swinging the door open she found more employees screaming and running around like chickens with their heads cut off. She was jostled about nearly being sent back down the stairs head first. Evelyn pushed back shoving herself forward through the sea of people desperate for escape.
"Wait, what's going on?!" Evelyn yelled out.
"Bomb. There's a bomb!" Someone yelled back but it was far too many people to see who the voice belonged to.
Why would V place a bomb here? He knew she was working. Plus there was Gordy. Evelyn shook her head pushing forward just to keep from being trampled when her eyes caught the two detectives that visited her office not so long ago. The older detective was speaking loudly through the noise when he spotted her. He pointed in her direction yelling at the detective and the few officers behind him to notice her. Evelyn spun in the opposite direction as soon as his finger pointed at her shoving with more force as her instincts of flight kicked in high gear. She along with a throng of others flooded through another stairway entrance and she rode the wave down to the next floor pulling the door open while the others continued downward.
This hallway was far less crowded with only a few last minute stragglers hurrying to find their way out. Evelyn tried a few doors to find them locked until she came across an unlocked office. Closing the door roughly she dove behind the desk pulling a few nearby boxes to help hide herself. Patiently she waited and it only took minutes before a pair of dark boots were visible between the small space seperating the desk from the ground. Covering her mouth to keep any sounds from slipping out she waited never taking her eyes off of those thick leather shoes and the hem of a weathered khaki trench coat. Soon the detective left but Evelyn remained underneath the desk counting in her head until she reached twenty Mississippi. Carefully she crawled out ignoring the television that was playing until V's voice floated over the speakers.
V sat at a table with a red curtain cascaded in the background, similar to what you would see in the theater.
"Good evening London. Allow me first to apologize for this interruption. I do, like many of you, appreciate the comforts of the everyday routine, the security of the familiar, the tranquility of repetition. I enjoy them as much as any bloke, but in the spirit of commemoration whereby those important events of the past usually associated with someone's death or the end of some awful bloody struggle are celebrated with a nice holiday. I thought we could mark this November the Fifth, a day that is sadly no longer remembered, by taking some time out of our daily lives to sit down and have a little chat. There are, of course, those who do not want us to speak. I suspect even now orders are being shouted into telephones and men with guns will soon be on their way. Why? Because while the truncheon may be used in lieu of conversation. Words will always retain their power. Words are for the means to meaning and for those who will listen, the enunciation of truth, and the truth is there is something terrible wrong with this country. Isn't there? Cruelty and injustice, intolerance and oppression, and where once you had the freedom to object, to think and speak as you saw fit. You now have censors and system for surveillance, coercing your conformity and soliciting your submission. How did this happen? Who's to blame? Well certainly there are those who are more responsible than others, and they will be held accountable, but again truth be told if you're looking for the guilty you need only look into a mirror.
Evelyn could not keep herself from lowering her eyes in shame feeling as if those false black holes were staring straight into her soul. Judging her. Showing her only truth and letting her own guilt eat away at the pit inside of herself. Tears brimmed in her eyes but she forced them back to the screen.
"I know why you did it. I know you were afraid. Who wouldn't be? War. Terror. Disease. There were a myriad of problems which conspired to corrupt your reason and rob you of your common sense. Fear got the best of you and in your panic you turned to the new High Chancellor Adam Sutler. He promised you order. He promised you peace. And all he demanded in return was your silent, obedient consent. Last night I sought to end that silence. Last night I destroyed the Old Bailey to remind this country of what it has forgotten. More than four hundred years ago a great citizen wished to embed the fifth of November forever in our memory. His hope was to remind the world that fairness, justice and freedom are more than words, they are perspectives. So if you've seen nothing, if the crimes of this government remain unknown to you, then I would suggest you allow the fifth of November to pass unmarked. But if you see what I see, if you feel as I feel, and if you would seek as I seek then I ask you to stand beside me one year from tonight, outside the gates of Parliament and together we shall give them a fifth of November that shall never, ever, be forgot"
Suddenly the screen flipped to black. So many thoughts swam in her head, so many questions, but for now she needed to find him and make sure they got out of the television station alive. Throwing open the door unafraid that anyone of consequence would be on the other side, seeing that they were probably trying to hunt down V, she stalked down the halls of the building when she thought she heard voices and ducked into another office.
V rounded a corner seeming to float as his cape billowed behind him as he marched quickly trying to distance himself from the foggy scene that transpired just down the hall. One of the cops charged with guarding one of the exits stepped into sight behind him cocking his gun directly at V's forehead. V stopped and slowly raised his hands like he was told. Evelyn peered from the cracked door eyeing the heart pounding escalating situation. Slithering out of her hiding space and tip toeing behind the officer her fingers searched her purse blindly for a weapon. Pressing her mouth in an angry thin line she tapped the man on the shoulder watching his head snap in the direction. She sprayed her pepper spray before he could question her. He growled angrily and swung the hand holding the pistol colliding the cold metal into her temple. Instantly V grabbed the man landing a series of punches to his ribs and finally one across the jaw knocking him out. After he was certain the man was incompasitated he rushed to Evey's side cradling her in his arms with a heart full of concern as he left through the exit that was once guarded by the unconscious guard.
